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Log Book 1 – Canada | Marr Family Pictures

First Logbook – Canada

Log Book 1 was issued to Grandpa here in Canada when he was sent to Elementary Flying Training School #8 at Sea Island, now Vancouver International Airport. Grandpa told me that the airfield they had was a grass strip on the South side of the airport by the Fraser River.

At the beginning of the war flight training was entrusted to civilian instructors. Once they had trained a corps of fliers these took over as military instuctors and the civilians were phased out.

EFTS #8 was established on July 22nd 1940. Grandpa was in the first class of #8, his first flight being on 23 July 1940.  On August 2nd of 1940 he made three flights in Tiger Moth 4052 but on the third he was alone. It was his first solo flight! He went

 

on to become an instructor himself as we shall see and eventually ship overseas to fly with Fighter Command in England and over the Continent.

I will break the Log Books into sections as we go along with what ever relevant comments I can muster. On this page we will deal the entries made while flying in Canada which runs from his first flight to his last flight at Central Flying School Trenton on 21 September 1942.

#8  E.F.T.S.  Sea  Island

Log Book 1 – Covers

Log Book 1 – Pages 3 and 4

Log Book 1 – Pages 9 and 10

Log Book 1 – Inside Front Covers

Log Book 1 – Pages 5 and 6

Log Book 1 – Pages 11 and 12

Log Book 1 – Pages 1 and 2

Log Book 1 – Pages 7 and 8

Log Book 1 – Pages 13 and 14

This was at the start of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan and, as we shall see, Dad played a part in that right up until he left for overseas. Many of the instructors, such as “J. Jacobsen” and “T. Finney” were civilian instructors from local flying clubs who were contracted by the air force to train the early pilots. Later on, the air force had instructors of their own and the civilian instructors were phased out. The air force was just beginning to ramp up and they relied on civilian resources while they got going.

Dad’s next posting was to No. 4 Service Flying Training School in Saskatoon. It was here that he was introduced to the Harvard. Now we were beginning to fly real aeroplanes! This training occupied the period 16 October thru 19 December of 1940.

#4  S.F.T.S.  Saskatoon

At the end of 1940 he was again transferred, this time to the Central Flying School in Trenton, Ontario. This was momentous in all our lives because it was while here that he met Grandma. But that is another story for another day.

He was at the Central Flying School to take the flight instructors course (Course No. 27) which he completed with considerable praise for his ability. His certificate is pasted in his Log Book and is visible in the next section. It is dated 18 March 1941 and is inserted chronologically in the book. His flights at Trenton were in the period 31 Dec 1940 thru 24 February 1941 and in that time he flew a wide variety of aircraft including the Fleet Finch, the Harvard, and the Tiger Moth. He refers to flying a Lockheed but there is no type given. I assume it was one of the Hudson Bomber class of machines.

 

Central  Flying  School – Trenton, Ontario

Grandpa was in the first class to graduate under the fledgling Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The plan was just getting going and they needed instructors. So his whole class was sent to the Central Flying School in Trenton to be trained as instructors. He says that they spent a lot of time in the classroom learning how to be instructors.

December 31 – January 8, 1941

February 8 – 15, 1941

January 8 – 26, 1941

February 16 – 21, 1941

January 26 – February 4, 1941

February 22 – 27, 1941

N0. 8 S.F.T.S. Moncton, N.B.

At the end of February 1941 Grandpa was transfered to No. 8 Serfice Flying Training School, a flight training squadron  of S Training Command which was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. He was now an instructor and while in Moncton instructed on multi engined Anson Aircraft.

March 3 – March 7 1941

March 7 – 15 1941

March 15 – 27 1941

Flying Instructor Certificate 18-3-41

Mar 28-April 8 1941

April 9 – 16 1941

April 16 – May 8 1941

May 8 – 22 1941

May 22 – June 2 1941

June 3-9 1941

June 12 – 21 1941

June 22 – July 1 1941

July 1 – 9 1941

July 10 – 21 1941

July 21-29 1941

July 29 – August 7 1941

August 7 -15 1941

August 18 – 25 1941

August 25 – 28 1941

Avro Anson Mk III as used by No.8 S.F.T.S. Moncton, N.B.

Back to Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario

At the end of August 1941 Grandpa was transfered back to Central Flying School in Trento where he was to begin instructing on Harvards. The rest of his time in Canada was here before he was sent overseas to England.

September 8 – 16  1941

September 16 – 23 1941

September 23 – 30 1941

September 30 – October 9  1941

October 10 – 21 1941

October 21 – November 3  1941

November 3 – 17  1941

November 17-24 1941

November 25 – December 6  1941

December 6 – 17  1941

December 17 – 29 1941

Dec 29 1941 January 13 1942

January 13 – 25 1942

January 25 – February 9 1942

February 9 – 20  1942

February 21 – March 12  1942

March 13 – 24 1942

March 24 – April 1   1942

April 2 – 9  1942

April 9 – 18 1942

April 18 – 27   1942

April 27 – May 2  1942

May 3 – 13 1942

May 17 – 28   1942

May 28 – June 8  1942

June 8 – 20 1942

June 20 – July 9   1942

July 10 – 23  1942

July 23 – August 11 1942

August 12 – 24   1942

August 24 – September 3  1942

September 4 – 16 1942

September 15 – 21   1942